From Demi Moore to Andy Warhol, and from Ali to John and Yoko, celebrities have formed the basis of the best US magazine covers of the past 40 years. Here are the 40 best American covers, as judged by US editors...

Magazine covers make a statement – from the haunting post 9/11 black-on-black of The New Yorker to the dramatic redesign of Harpers Bazaar. Now, the power of covers has been recognized, as the American Society of Magazine Editors has picked and unveiled the best 40 US covers of all time.

They provide a fascinating insight into the art of selling magazines – if only something similar were to happen in the UK.